Faustina and her company were heading to the academy. The exams would start a few hours from now. And as Faustina eyed the whole vicinity, fellow students-to-be were also headed to the academy. She overheard some girls and boys around her age talking about the kind of element they were thinking to be very compatible with, and some discussing how they would strategize and aim to be on Ianua I, the highest cla.s.s Magierstadt could offer.

Walking to the streets made her look around in awe and fascination. Never did she think of this day to come. Back when she was in the cabin, her survival and the dream of exploring the capital was her sole purpose. Now that she looked back to the past, she was a very purposeless individual. Not that she didn't like that. Faustina preferred those days over . . . events such as . . . Faustina shook her thoughts off. She shouldn't think about the past too much.

"I want to be in Ianua I!" Says a girl with large gla.s.ses and a pink hair. She was holding a wand and was making beads of lights from nothing. "So my parents would be proud of me!"

"You dream big, Mich.e.l.le." Says another girl with a witch hat and a black dress hugging her curves. The girl definitely was older than all of them. She also was a head-turner given her looks and plump lips. "Only 50 students got into Ianua 1 the last exams, you know?"

Orwell told them walking serves the best experience—besides, carriages wouldn't be useful in a busy street. The crowd died down a bit and was now less noisy in the night, but that did not mean the people reduced in numbers. People were still frolicking around the city. Faustina noticed almost everyone around her carried a staff or a wand. She glanced at hers, which was in her back. So far, she hasn't seen one the same as hers - one with a broken, cyan gem.

Magierstadt's academy is atop the city—standing like a proud castle in a mountain. The streets were paved with white stones and everything was foreign to Faustina. Even the lights were powered by magic. Speaking of lights - Faustina's eyes fluttered as one of the magical fireflies powered by magic drifted in front of her face. The fireflies were, as said by Orwell, artificially created by Magierstadt to light every night to conserve energy. It never failed to fascinate Faustina; and as she glanced around, almost everyone shared the same sentiments as her. Some people were playing with the fireflies and some children trying to catch one of them in their jars.

"Waste the sh.e.l.lings?" Orwell asked, tilting his head in confusion. "What do you mean, Lady Feuerlon?"

"He only gave us . . . you know. One information." Faustina whispered.

Orwell chuckled. "Well! Information is pretty expensive, but five thousand sh.e.l.lings didn't charge just the info. It was charged for the protection of my name, and yours. He told us his lips are sealed. It means he's also protecting someone else."

"Meaning . . . there's someone in Magierstadt who also paid him to conceal information," Faustina utters.

"Exactly." Orwell exclaims. "This is why we have a lead. There's definitely something fishy happening inside the academy. Did you report back to the king? I heard you received a fire message from him,"

"No," says Faustina. "He only inquired about my well-being. I'll report back when we find about something in the academy."

Faustina averted her gaze from Orwell, focusing her eyes back to the road. The sound of footsteps and people talking gradually faded as she remembered the king. He had sent her a fire message which contained only a single sentence -"How are you faring, Faustina?"

Suddenly in the midst of walking to the busy streets of Magierstadt, she was reminded of what was—again—her purpose.

She wasn't supposed to have fun. She has a mission. She's tasked to sustain the king's life. She has to break Eula's seal on her magic. She was not here to enjoy kebabs and laugh. She was here to pretend as a lady in the n.o.bility to survive.

She was here to find the truth about the Forsaken . . . and Eula.

". . . stina . . . Faustina!"

"Ah—" Faustina snapped back to reality. Orwell's green eyes through his round spectacles welcomed her large, brown ones. Orwell sighs.

"I'm asking you if you're . . . alright?" Orwell asks. He stops walking, and then one of the small firefly orbs found their way near to Orwell's face, showing his expression. To Faustina's surprise, Orwell held both of her shoulders, steadying her into her feet. Maddie tilted her head, staring at both of them.

"Are you nervous?" Orwell asked, and then for a brief moment, there was silence. And then Faustina chuckled anxiously. "W-well, not exactly . . ."

Orwell grins. "You got this, okay? Orwell Lotheringwood is your teacher, after all!"

Orwell then moved his hands away from Faustina's shoulders and then proceeded to walk ahead of them.

Maddie slowly sauntered beside Faustina.

"Mister Lotheringwood is kind of bubbly ever since he stepped foot here, M'lady,"

Faustina smiles, still staring at Orwell who was being greeted by the shop owners and was fairly noticed by a good amount of people in the crowd. He smiled at them with a sheepish grin and a wave. Orwell then went to one of the stalls to check for a mana crystal, and then began to chatter with the stall owner, who obviously knew him.

Orwell then turned to gesture Maddie and Faustina to follow him but was interrupted with the shop owner pinching his ear, who started to lecture Orwell about etiquette and how to treat young ladies properly.

"Mister Lotheringwood is a wonder," says Maddie. "One day he's a profound gentleman, the other day he's . . . like this."

". . . It's because he's now home," Faustina says through her smile. "That's why he's this happy."